Flexible coupling



June 15 1926. 1,588,424

S. JENclcK I FLEXIBLE COUPLING ril 11. 1921 Q I WTW means between the adjacent ends of the shaft Patented June 15, 1926.

FLEXIBLE COUFLIHG.

Application filed April 11, 1921. Serial He. 459.

This invention relates to flexible couplings such as are used for connecting aligned shaft sections, especially when flexibility or freedom of movement between such shaft sections is required. y

This invention is an improvement or. modification of'those described in my (lo-pending applications No. 377,623 and No. 377,624, both filed April 29th, 1920.

As in my other applications, the object of the resent invention is to improve the connection between the two shaft sections so as to increase the strength of the coupling without the loss of flexibility and without material increase in the initial cost.

More'particularly it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved manner of preparing the re-enforcing strands for the projections upon the opposite sides of the flexible discs so as to facilitate the handling of such strands in building up the re-enforcing projections and also to increase the strength of such reentercing means especially at the bolt holes.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for centering the shaft sections as well asthe bolts and bolt holes upon assembling the several parts of the coupling, and at the same time to provide a. bearing sections so as to relieve the strain upon one of the shaft sections incident to its length.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the following description and 'claims when considered together with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the coupling; Fig. 2 is an end elevation showing one'shaft in section and with parts broken away; Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3'3, Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a section on line H5 Fig. 1, and showing the interlocking serrated'portions between one of the shaft sections and the corresponding 'frame member. a

The two shaft sections to be connected are indicated in the present drawings as 1 and 2 res ectively. The frame member 3 is attache in any suitable manner to the sleeve 4 which is keyed upon the shaft 1. In'the present case the frame member 3 is' secured by means o'f,-the screw nut 5in clamping engagement with the washer 6 engaging the central portion of the frame member. The outer thickened portion of washer fi clamps the serrated or toothed edge Eta 3 of the member 3 and the correspondingly formed surface 49 on the sleeve 4 in firm interlocked engagement, the outer pm of washer 6 being sutficiently thick to insure such engagement before the inner por-' tion of said washer reaches its limit of engagement as indicated by the space 5".

1,588,424.; 'FWCE.

STEZ'PEIEN JENGECTK, time 31 L131" FALLfi; GHIW.

stud 8 for a purpose which will later lip-" pear. being hollow is provided with the annularfiange 9 through which extend the bolts 10.,

The shaft 2 which is here shown'as '1 members 14 and 16 may also b held in clamped engagement with the ce "tral ortion of the tramemembcr 11 by means 0 the bolts 10 extending through the annular flange portion 15 of annular member 14.

The edge of flange 9 is cut toexactly against flanges 11"" and the drive connec-l'.

tion is through the frictional engagement between the parts clamped together'bybol't's 10 so that the strain upon the bolts 10 them: selves is relieved and the danger. of strip; ping these bolts is thereby minimized.

accurate fitting ofth'e' flange 9 against flanges 11 serves also to center the parts for insertion of the bolts 10; The member 14 has also screw threaded engagement with.

the annular bearing. member 16 and these two annular members are so formed usrto' together provide an annular channel or groove indicated at 18 for the pur ose of receiving the substantially cylindrlcal reenforcedmarginal portion-20 about the central opening of the flexible disc 21.- The stud 8 is adapted-also to extend into the an,- nular bearing" member 16., for the purpose of center'ing'the shaft members in couplin the same and to'relieve the strain upon sha 1 by affording a. bearing for the same. The

stud extensionjand members 14 and 16 may, however, lee-omitted.

As indicated in the 11.- respeetively, which are arranged alter:

drawings, jthe frame members 3 and 11 are each provided with the three radially extending arms .3 andnately. These arms" areprovided with circumferentially disposed on 3 and 11 respectively, suitably apertured to receive the clampin bolts 23 whichextend through-the registering apertures in shaped flanges knobs of the roent'orcing projections The flanges 3 and 11 and also the washers 3 and 11 are ot'substantially semi--spherical form so as to snugly clamp the projcc tions 2 which are of corresponding form at the bolt holes, and the edges of these flanges and washers terminate short of the disc 21 when the parts are assembled so as to preserve a. space as indicated in the drawings. These projections are built up of material having substantially the same coefficient of flexibility as the main body of the disc 21 which consists of sheet rubber or laminated rubber and fabric or other suitable material as may be desired. The rojccti0ns24 may be further rc-cntorced y means of strands 25 of suitable fabric which are imbedded therein and which are arranged closely about the bolt holes so as to hug the bolts. The projections 24 are piactically flat between the bolt holes and extend in straight lines, as do also the strands 25, that is, in the direction of the strain. These strands are first prepared in the form of loop units of suflicient length to extend about the adjacent bolt holes as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings and may be provided with a suitable coating which can be fused into the material forming the main body of the project-ions 2 by the val canizing process. Any number of these strands 25 can be prepared in this Way so as to form a unit, there being four of such strands here shown as composin such. a unit. These units can be stored al tcr preparation and readily applied to the material. used in building up the projections 24. As indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the adjacent ends of such units overlap at the bolt holes and as a result of this particular structure considerable strength is realized at these points. According to my invention mostof the strain due to the torque placed upon and taken up by the rc-enforcing strands.

The advantages flowing from this invention will be apparent to those who are t'amiliar with the art to which it relates.

Having described my invention, .l claim:

1'. A coupling member, coin 'irising a disc of flexible material provided with bolt holes through said disc, and looped roentorcing strands extending about said bolt holes.

2.,A coupling member, comprising disc of flexible material provided with bolt holes through said disc, and looped rc-eniorcing strands extending between and about said bolt holes.

3. A coupling member, comprising a disc of flexible materialprovided with belt holes through said disc, and looper re-enforeing strands incorporated with said disc and extending about said bolt holes.

4. A. coupling member, comprising a disc of flexible material adapted for connection esa-ace between the adjacent ends of shaft sections. and looped re-enlorcing strands arranged to relieve torsional strain upon said disc.

5. A coupling member, comprising a disc of flexible material having at least one face provided with rel-enforcing projections and having bolt holes through said projections and disc, and looped re-ent'orcing strands embedded in said rejections and extending about said bolt ho es.

6. A coupling. member, comprising a disc of flexible material provided upon its opposite faces with registerin jections and having bolt holes through said projections and disc, and looped re-enforcing strands embedded in said projections and extending about said bolt holes.

7. A coupling member, comprising a disc of flexible material provided with reenforcing projections and having bolt holes through said projections and disc, andlooped re-eni'orcing strands embedded in said projections and extending between and about said bolt holes.

8. A coupling member, comprising a disc of flexible material provided upon its opposite faces with registering ire-enforcing projectionsand having bolt holes through said projections and disc, and looped re-enforcing strands embedded in said projections and extending between and about said bolt holes.

9. A coupling member, comprising a disc of flexible material provided with circumil crentially extending rc-enforcing projections and having bolt holes through said projections and disc, and looped re-enforcing strands embedded in said projections and extending about said bolt holes.

10. A. coupling member, comprising a disc of flexible material provided with mentoreing projections and ribs connecting the same and having bolt holes through said projections and disc, and looped re-enforcing strands embedded in said projections and ex tending about said bolt holes.

11. A coupling member, comprising a disc of flexible material provided with re-enforcing projections and ribs connectingthe same and having bolt holes through said projections and disc, and looped rte-enforcing strands eml'iedded in said projections and ribs and extending beh bolt holes.

l2. coupling disc, comprising a flexible disc adapted for connection between the adjaccnt ends of shaft sections, looped re-en- 'l'orcil'ig strands arranged to relieve torsional strain upon said disc, and means for centering the adjacent ends of said shaft sections.

13. A coupling disc, comprising a flexible disc provided with a central aperture and adapted for connection between the adjacent ends of shaft sections, means integral with said disc for re-cnforcement at the oints of connection between said disc and sliaft secre-cnforcing procon and about said tions, and means arranged within the central aperture of said disc for centering the adjacent ends of said shaft sections, said centering meansincluding a portion engaging saiddisc at the margin of its central aperture.

14. A coupling device, comprising shaft members, a flexible disc provided with a central aperture surrounded by a head portion, and means for connecting said shaft members through said disc, one of said shaft members being provided with a stub end portion extending through the aperture of said disc, and the other shaft member being provided with a bearing for the marginal head portion of said disc about its central opening and also for said stub end portion, thereby providing a means of centering the parts in assembling the same.

15. A flexible disk having a body portion of vulcanizable material; and a series of links at'the periphery of the body portion and secured thereto. I

16. A flexible disk for couplings having a body portion and a series of links at each side thereof, the end of one link overlapping another and forming enlargements; and' holes at the enlargements for the passage of the securing bolts. V

17. A flexible disk for couplings consisting of a body portion of fabric and rubber; and a series of fabric and rubber links located at each side of the disk at the periphery thereof, the end of. one link overlapping the end of another link so as to increase the thickness of the disk where the links overlap, the disk being perforated at the enlargements for the passage of the bolts which secure the disk to the spiders of the coupling.

In testimony whereof I hereby alfix my signature.

I STEPHEN J EN GICK. 

